Determining network congestion based on target user throughput

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for determining network congestion (e.g., reduced or low average user throughput with telecommunications networks, such as LTE networks, are described. The systems and methods described herein facilitate the identification and/or prediction of congestion at cell sites, which may enable telecommunications networks to prevent and/or remedy current or future occurrences of congestion at cell sites within their networks.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No.15/087,994, titled “DETERMINING NETWORK CONGESTION BASED ON TARGET USERTHROUGHPUT,” filed Mar. 31, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,867,080, which ishereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

A telecommunications network is established via a complex arrangementand configuration of many cell sites that are deployed across ageographical area. For example, there may be a large group of cellsites, each having multiple antennas pointing in different directions,set up across a specific geographical location (e.g., a city,neighborhood, and so on), in order to provide adequate, reliablecoverage for mobile devices (e.g., smart phones, tablets, and so on)seeking access to the telecommunications network and the servicesprovided by the network, such as services that facilitate thetransmission of data over the network.

Mobile electronic devices (such as smart phones, personal digitalassistants, computer tablets, and so on) are ubiquitous. Mobile devicesprovide advanced computing capabilities and services to users, such asvoice communications, text and other messaging communications, video andother multimedia communications, streaming services, and so on. Often,users, via their mobile devices, access such services as customers orsubscribers of telecommunications carriers, which providetelecommunications networks within which the users make voice calls,send text messages, send and receive data, and so on.

However, problems may arise when many device attempt to transmit andreceive data via the limited bandwidth capacity provided by cell sites.When too many devices are sending and receiving data, congestion mayoccur, where any further increases in data traffic often results insmaller or reduced throughput at the cell sites.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present technology will be described and explainedthrough the use of the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a suitable computing environmentwithin which to determine congestion within a telecommunications network

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating components of a congestiondetermination system.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating throughput at a cell site with respectto spectrum utilization parameters for the cell site.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating throughput at a cell site with respectto numbers of users at the cell site.

FIG. 5 is a diagram comparing congested sectors of a network to spectralefficiency of the network.

FIG. 6 is a diagram comparing spectrum utilization and number ofconnected users at a cell site to a determined throughput for the cellsite.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for determining whether acell sector of a cell site is congested.

The drawings have not necessarily been drawn to scale. Similarly, somecomponents and/or operations may be separated into different blocks orcombined into a single block for the purposes of discussion of some ofthe embodiments of the present technology. Moreover, while thetechnology is amenable to various modifications and alternative forms,specific embodiments have been shown by way of example in the drawingsand are described in detail below. The intention, however, is not tolimit the technology to the particular embodiments described. On thecontrary, the technology is intended to cover all modifications,equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the technologyas defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Systems and methods are described herein for determining throughput(e.g., congestion) at cell sites within LTE (Long-term Evolution) andother telecommunications networks. As described herein, when a cell siteis congested, the throughput at the cell site is reduced or minimized,which causes problems associated with transmitting and receiving datavia the cell site. The systems and methods described herein, therefore,facilitate the identification and/or prediction of congestion at cellsites, which may enable telecommunications networks to prevent and/orremedy current or future occurrences of congestion at cell sites withintheir networks.

In some embodiments, the systems and methods measure a spectrumutilization percentage for physical resource blocks associated with acell site of a telecommunications network, measure a number of usersconnected to the telecommunications network via the cell site, and/ormeasure a spectral efficiency of the cell site. Using the variousmeasurements, the systems and methods determine the cell site iscongested when the spectrum utilization percentage for the physicalresource blocks associated with the cell site, the number of usersconnected to the telecommunications network via the cell site, and/orthe measured spectral efficiency of the cell site is above certainthreshold values associated with congestion of the cell site.

For example, the spectrum utilization percentage of the cell site, thenumber of users connected to the telecommunications network, and themeasured spectral efficiency of the cell site may indicate the cell siteis providing an average user throughput of less than 2 Mbps (or anotherpredetermined threshold throughput associated with minimum datatransmission capabilities) within an LTE network, and is thereforecongested. Other criteria and/or thresholds may be utilized for othernetworks.

Thus, in some embodiments, the systems and methods identify or predictcongestion at a cell site (or, sectors of a cell site) by measuringcertain characteristics or data traffic parameters of the cell site, andwithout directly measuring the throughput of the cell site (e.g.,without utilizing a test transmission of data via the cell site).

In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of embodiments of the present technology. It will beapparent, however, that embodiments of the present technology may bepracticed without some of these specific details.

Examples of Suitable Telecommunications Networks

As described herein, in some embodiments, the systems and methodsidentify and/or predict congestion at a cell site, such as a cell sitewithin an LTE telecommunications network. FIG. 1 is a block diagramillustrating a suitable computing environment 100 within which toidentify, predict, and/or perform actions associated with differentthroughput levels (e.g., congestion) at cell sites within a network.

Multiple mobile devices 130A-C or user equipment (UE), associated withusers, such as mobile phones (e.g., smartphones), tablet computers,laptops, and so on, receive and transmit data, and/or perform othercommunications over a telecommunications network 120, via one or morecell sites 110A-C. For example, many mobile devices, including mobiledevices 130A-C, may access cell site 110A at a location that includescell site 110A, in order to transmit and receive data (e.g., stream orupload multimedia content) from various entities via the cell site 110A.

The cell sites 110A-C may be base stations, picocells, macrocells,femtocells, and/or other network access components. The cell cites110A-C may store data associated with their operations, including dataassociated with the number of types of connected users, data associatedwith the utilization of a spectrum provided by the cell sites 110A-C,and so on. The cell sites 110A-C may monitor their use, such as theprovisioning or utilization of physical resource blocks (PRBs) providedby a cell site physical layer. For example, a cell site 110A having achannel bandwidth of 5 MHz provides 25 available physical resourceblocks through which data may be transmitted to/from the mobile devices130A-C.

Other components provided by a telecommunications network may monitorand/or measure the operations and transmission characteristics of thecell sites 110A-C and other network access components. For example, thenetwork may provide a network monitoring system 140, via a networkresource controller (NRC) or network performance and monitoringcontroller, or other network control component, in order to measureand/or obtain the data associated with the utilization of cell sites110A-C when data is transmitted within the LTE telecommunicationsnetwork.

These components may also perform various operations within the network,in order to optimize or modify operations of the cell sites 110A-C andthe network. For example, the network monitoring system 140 may performself-organizing network (SON) processes to modify, configure, and/ormanage the cell sites 110A-C and other components of the network, aswell as traffic management actions to reduce occurrences of low orcongested data transmission throughput (e.g., congestion) at the cellsites 110A-C.

The computing environment includes a congestion determination system 150that identifies and/or predicts occurrences of congestion at the cellsites 110A-C. As described herein, the congestion determination system150 measures and/or obtains various data associated with the operationof cell sites 110A-C within an LTE network, and determines that cellsites are congested when the measured data satisfies (or, exceeds)various thresholds values associated with throughput congestion at thecell sites.

In some embodiments, the congestion determination system 150 may sendinstructions or provide information to a network modification system 160that performs actions associated with modifying data traffic at cellsites or within an LTE network (e.g. suggestions for extra augmentationor expansion of a network), such as in response to occurrences orpredictions of congestion at the cell sites. Further details regardingthe operations and components of the congestion determination system 150and the network modification system 160 are described herein.

FIG. 1 and the discussion herein provide a brief, general description ofa suitable computing environment 100 in which the congestiondetermination system 150 can be supported and implemented. Although notrequired, aspects of the congestion determination system 150 aredescribed in the general context of computer-executable instructions,such as routines executed by a general-purpose computer, e.g., mobiledevice, a server computer, or personal computer. The system can bepracticed with other communications, data processing, or computer systemconfigurations, including: Internet appliances, hand-held devices(including tablet computers and/or personal digital assistants (PDAs)),all manner of cellular or mobile phones, multi-processor systems,microprocessor-based or programmable consumer electronics, set-topboxes, network PCs, mini-computers, mainframe computers, and the like.Indeed, the terms “computer,” “host,” and “host computer,” and “mobiledevice” and “handset” are generally used interchangeably herein, andrefer to any of the above devices and systems, as well as any dataprocessor.

Aspects of the system can be embodied in a special purpose computingdevice or data processor that is specifically programmed, configured, orconstructed to perform one or more of the computer-executableinstructions explained in detail herein. Aspects of the system may alsobe practiced in distributed computing environments where tasks ormodules are performed by remote processing devices, which are linkedthrough a communications network, such as a Local Area Network (LAN),Wide Area Network (WAN), or the Internet. In a distributed computingenvironment, program modules may be located in both local and remotememory storage devices.

Aspects of the system may be stored or distributed on computer-readablemedia (e.g., physical and/or tangible non-transitory computer-readablestorage media), including magnetically or optically readable computerdiscs, hard-wired or preprogrammed chips (e.g., EEPROM semiconductorchips), nanotechnology memory, or other data storage media. Indeed,computer implemented instructions, data structures, screen displays, andother data under aspects of the system may be distributed over theInternet or over other networks (including wireless networks), on apropagated signal on a propagation medium (e.g., an electromagneticwave(s), a sound wave, etc.) over a period of time, or they may beprovided on any analog or digital network (packet switched, circuitswitched, or other scheme). Portions of the system reside on a servercomputer, while corresponding portions reside on a client computer suchas a mobile or portable device, and thus, while certain hardwareplatforms are described herein, aspects of the system are equallyapplicable to nodes on a network. In an alternative embodiment, themobile device or portable device may represent the server portion, whilethe server may represent the client portion.

In some embodiments, the mobile devices 130A-C and/or the cell sites110A-C may include network communication components that enable thedevices to communicate with remote servers or other portable electronicdevices by transmitting and receiving wireless signals using a licensed,semi-licensed, or unlicensed spectrum over communications network, suchas network 120. In some cases, the communication network 120 may becomprised of multiple networks, even multiple heterogeneous networks,such as one or more border networks, voice networks, broadband networks,service provider networks, Internet Service Provider (ISP) networks,and/or Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTNs), interconnected viagateways operable to facilitate communications between and among thevarious networks. The communications network 120 may also includethird-party communications networks such as a Global System for Mobile(GSM) mobile communications network, a code/time division multipleaccess (CDMA/TDMA) mobile communications network, a 3rd or 4thgeneration (3G/4G) mobile communications network (e.g., General PacketRadio Service (GPRS/EGPRS)), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution(EDGE), Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), or Long TermEvolution (LTE) network), or other communications network.

Further details regarding the operation and implementation of thecongestion determination system 150 will now be described.

Examples of Determining Congestion at a Cell Site

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating components of the congestiondetermination system 150. The congestion determination system 150 mayinclude functional modules that are implemented with a combination ofsoftware (e.g., executable instructions, or computer code) and hardware(e.g., at least a memory and processor). Accordingly, as used herein, insome examples a module is a processor-implemented module or set of codeand represents a computing device having a processor that is at leasttemporarily configured and/or programmed by executable instructionsstored in memory to perform one or more of the particular functions thatare described herein. For example, the congestion determination system150 may include a spectrum utilization module 210, a user module 220, athroughput module 230, an efficiency module 240, and an action module250.

In some embodiments, the spectrum utilization module 210 is configuredand/or programmed to measure a spectrum utilization percentage forphysical resource blocks associated with a cell site of atelecommunications network, or one or more cell sectors of the cellsite. A cell site may have multiple sectors, with antennas pointing indifferent directions at the cell site. For example, the spectrumutilization module 210 may determine or receive information from thecell sites 110A-C that identifies the number of PRBs utilized duringcurrent uplink or downlink data transmissions at the sites 110A-C.

FIG. 3 is a diagram 300 illustrating average user throughput at a cellsite with respect to spectrum utilization parameters for the cell site.The diagram 300 shows the expected user throughput for a cell site atdifferent frequency spectrums (e.g., 5 MHz, 10 Mhz, and 15 MHz), withrespect to the utilization of PRBs available at the cell site. Asdepicted with respect to a 5 MHz spectrum, the expected or estimatedthroughput is 2.0 Mbps or higher when the spectrum utilizationpercentage (e.g., percentage of used PRBs) is 70 percent or lower, is1.7 Mbps or lower when the spectrum utilization percentage is 80 percentor higher, and is 1.1 Mbps or lower when the spectrum utilizationpercentage is 90 percent or higher.

In some embodiments, the user module 220 is configured and/or programmedto measure or identify a number of users connected to thetelecommunications network via the cell site. For example, the usermodule 220 may access the cell sites 110A-C or various networkmonitoring components (e.g., the network monitoring system 140) toaccess, receive, or obtain information identifying a number of usersconnected to the cell sites 110A-C and performing data transmissions viathe cell sites 110A-C.

FIG. 4 is a diagram 400 illustrating throughput at a cell site withrespect to numbers of users at the cell site. The diagram 400 shows theexpected throughput for a cell site at different frequency spectrums(e.g., 5 MHz, 10 Mhz, and 15 MHz), with respect to the number of userconnected to the cell site. As depicted with respect to a 10 MHzspectrum, the expected or estimated throughput is 2.0 Mbps or higherwhen the number of connected users is 130 users or lower, is 1.8 Mbps orlower when the number of connected users is 165 users or higher, and is1.5 Mbps or lower when the number of connected users is 190 users orhigher.

In some embodiments, the efficiency module 230 is configured and/orprogrammed to measure or identify a spectral efficiency of the cellsite. For example, the efficiency module 230 may determine or receiveinformation from the cell sites 110A-C that identifies theiroptimization potential, or spectral efficiency, within the network. Thespectral efficiency refers to the maximum rate or throughput for a givenbandwidth at a cell site.

FIG. 5 is a diagram 500 comparing congested sectors of a network tospectral efficiency of the network. The diagram 500 shows the spectralefficiency (in bps/Hz) with respect to the number or percentage ofcongested sectors within a network. As depicted, a spectral efficiencyof 1.5 bps/Hz can relate to a congested sector percentage of between 8percent and 10 percent, and the network may be optimized for spectralefficiencies below 1.5 bps/Hz. The spectral efficiency may vary,depending on the efficiency of components within the network.

In some embodiments, the throughput module 240 is configured and/orprogrammed to determine the cell site is congested. As described herein,a cell site may be determined to be congested when the average userthroughput at the cell site (e.g., at one or more sectors) is reduced orminimized with respect to increasing data transmissions via the cellsite. Congestion, therefore, causes an average throughput at a cell siteto go down.

The throughput module 240 may select or predetermine a level ofthroughput as a congestion level based on a variety of factors. Forexample, the level of congestion may be based on maintaining an averagethroughput capable of handling most high definition (HD) datatransmissions, such as HD video transmissions. In such cases, the levelof congestion may be selected or set at 2 Mbps or higher (e.g., tohandle HD720 p data traffic), may be selected or set at 4 Mbps or higher(e.g., to handle HD1080 p data traffic), may be selected or set at 5Mbps or higher (e.g., to handle an industry selected LTE “floor” ofaverage throughput), and so on. Thus, in some cases, the throughputmodule 240 determines a cell site is congested based one of a number ofdifferent preset congestion levels for the average user throughput atthe cell site.

The throughput module 240 may determine occurrences of congestion at thecell site when:

the spectrum utilization percentage for the physical resource blocksassociated with the cell site is above a threshold percentage ofspectrum utilization that is associated with congestion of the cellsite;

the number of users connected to the telecommunications network via thecell site is above a threshold number of connected users based on thespecific spectrum frequency and that is associated with congestion ofthe cell site; and/or

the measured spectral efficiency of the cell site is above a thresholdefficiency associated with congestion of the cell site and/or thenetwork.

For example, the following table illustrates various threshold valuesfor the measured data described herein that indicate an averagethroughput of 2 Mbps is maintained from a cell sector at a cell site:

TABLE 1 Bandwidth PRB Utilization Connected Users Spectral Efficiency  5MHz >70% 65 >1.5 bps/Hz 10 MHz >70% 130 >1.5 bps/Hz 15 MHz >70% 190 >1.5bps/Hz 20 MHz >70% 260 >1.5 bps/Hz

Thus, Table 1 depicts various data value limits for characteristics of acell sector at a cell site, that, when exceeded, indicate that the cellsector is congested (the user throughput is lower than expected).

FIG. 6 is a diagram 600 comparing spectrum utilization and number ofconnected users at a cell site to a determined average user throughputfor the cell site. As depicted, in some embodiments, the throughputmodule 240 determines a cell sector of a cell site maintains a desiredthroughput of 2 Mbps when 65 or fewer users are connected to a 5 MHzchannel, when 130 or fewer users are connected to a 10 MHz channel, andwhen 195 or fewer users are connected to a 15 MHz channel.

Referring back to FIG. 2, in some embodiments, the action module 250 isconfigured and/or programmed to perform an action associated withmodifying operations of the cell site or the telecommunications networkin response to the throughput module determining the cell site iscongested. For example, the action module 250 may cause the networkmodification system 160 to perform various data traffic optimizationtechniques at the cell sector, cell site, or within the network toincrease or improve the average throughput at the cell site.

As described herein, in some embodiments, the congestion determinationsystem 150 performs various algorithmic processes or methods in order todetermine and/or identify occurrences of congestion at cell sites withinan LTE network. FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating a method 700 fordetermining the occurrence of congestion at a cell sector or cell site.The method 700 may be performed by the congestion determination system150 and, accordingly, is described herein merely by way of referencethereto. It will be appreciated that the method 700 may be performed onany suitable hardware.

In operation 710, the congestion determination system 150 determineswhether the spectrum utilization of a cell site is above a thresholdpercentage. For example, the congestion determination module 240 mayobtain from the spectrum utilization module 210 information thatidentifies the number of PRBs utilized during data transmissions at thesites 110A-C.

When the spectrum utilization is above a threshold percentage, thecongestion determination system 150 proceeds to operation 720, else thesystem 150 proceeds to operation 750, and determines the throughput atthe cell site is above or at congestion levels (e.g., throughput is ator above 2 Mbps).

In operation 720, the congestion determination system 150 determineswhether the number of users connected to the cell site is above athreshold number. For example, the congestion determination module 240may obtain from the user module 220 information identifying a number ofusers connected to the cell sites 110A-C and performing datatransmissions via the cell sites 110A-C.

When the number of connected users is above a threshold number, thecongestion determination system 150 proceeds to operation 730, else thesystem 150 proceeds to operation 750, and determines the throughput atthe cell site is above or at congestion levels (e.g., throughput is ator above 2 Mbps).

In operation 730, the congestion determination system 150 determineswhether the spectral efficiency is above a threshold value. For example,the congestion determination module 240 may obtain from the efficiencymodule 230 information that identifies the maximum rate or throughputfor a given bandwidth at the cell site.

When the spectral efficiency is above the threshold number, thecongestion determination system 150 proceeds to operation 740, anddetermines the throughput of the cell site is congested (e.g., is belowa predetermined throughput of 2 Mbps), else the else the system 150proceeds to operation 750, and determines the throughput at the cellsite is above or at congestion levels (e.g., throughput is at or above 2Mbps).

Once the congestion determination system 150 determines a cell site iscongested (in operation 750), the system 150, in operation 760, mayperform an action to maintain the predetermined throughput. For example,the action module 250 may cause the network modification system 160 toperform various data traffic optimization techniques at the cell site orwithin the network to reduce the average throughput at the cell site.

As described herein, the congestion determination system 150 may usesome or all the measured or obtained information described herein. Forexample, the congestion determination system 150 may determine a cellsite is currently congested based on the results of operations 710 and720.

As another example, the congestion determination system 150 may predicta cell site will be congested based on the results of operations 720 and730. In such cases, the congestion determination system 150 may measureor obtain a number of users connected to a telecommunications networkvia a cell site, measure or obtain a spectral efficiency of the cellsite, and determine or predict the cell site will be congested when thenumber of users connected to the telecommunications network via the cellsite is above a threshold number of connected users that is associatedwith congestion of the cell site, and when the measured spectralefficiency of the cell site indicates an increase in data traffic viathe cell site. The congestion determination system 150 may measure orobtain the spectral efficiency of a cell site to forecast changes intraffic profiles at a cell site or within a network, to dimension an LTEair interface capacity, and so on.

Thus, in some embodiments, the congestion determination system 150utilizes information other than and different from directly measuredthroughput data to determine or predict a current or future throughputfor one or more cell sites within an LTE network. Using the information,the congestion determination system 150 determines occurrences ofcongestion at cell sites, and performs actions to optimize or enhancethe handling of data traffic by the cell sites, in order to avoid,prevent, or minimize the congestion at the cell site, providing userswith suitable throughput for data transmissions.

Conclusion

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout thedescription and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and thelike are to be construed in an inclusive sense, as opposed to anexclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in the sense of“including, but not limited to.” As used herein, the terms “connected,”“coupled,” or any variant thereof means any connection or coupling,either direct or indirect, between two or more elements; the coupling orconnection between the elements can be physical, logical, or acombination thereof. Additionally, the words “herein,” “above,” “below,”and words of similar import, when used in this application, refer tothis application as a whole and not to any particular portions of thisapplication. Where the context permits, words in the above DetailedDescription using the singular or plural number may also include theplural or singular number respectively. The word “or,” in reference to alist of two or more items, covers all of the following interpretationsof the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list,and any combination of the items in the list.

As used herein, being above a threshold means that a value for an itemunder comparison is above a specified other value, that an item undercomparison is among a certain specified number of items with the largestvalue, or that an item under comparison has a value within a specifiedtop percentage value. As used herein, being below a threshold means thata value for an item under comparison is below a specified other value,that an item under comparison is among a certain specified number ofitems with the smallest value, or that an item under comparison has avalue within a specified bottom percentage value. As used herein, beingwithin a threshold means that a value for an item under comparison isbetween two specified other values, that an item under comparison isamong a middle specified number of items, or that an item undercomparison has a value within a middle specified percentage range.

The above Detailed Description of examples of the technology is notintended to be exhaustive or to limit the technology to the precise formdisclosed above. While specific examples for the technology aredescribed above for illustrative purposes, various equivalentmodifications are possible within the scope of the technology. Forexample, while processes or blocks are presented in a given order,alternative implementations may perform routines having steps, or employsystems having blocks, in a different order, and some processes orblocks may be deleted, moved, added, subdivided, combined, and/ormodified to provide alternative or subcombinations. Each of theseprocesses or blocks may be implemented in a variety of different ways.Also, while processes or blocks are at times shown as being performed inseries, these processes or blocks may instead be performed orimplemented in parallel, or may be performed at different times. Furtherany specific numbers noted herein are only examples: alternativeimplementations may employ differing values or ranges.

The teachings of the technology provided herein can be applied to othersystems, not necessarily the system described above. The elements andacts of the various examples described above can be combined to providefurther implementations of the technology. Some alternativeimplementations of the technology may include not only additionalelements to those implementations noted above, but also may includefewer elements.

These and other changes can be made to the technology in light of theabove Detailed Description. While the above description describescertain examples of the technology, and describes the best modecontemplated, no matter how detailed the above appears in text, thetechnology can be practiced in many ways. Details of the system may varyconsiderably in its specific implementation, while still beingencompassed by the technology disclosed herein. As noted above,particular terminology used when describing certain features or aspectsof the technology should not be taken to imply that the terminology isbeing redefined herein to be restricted to any specific characteristics,features, or aspects of the technology with which that terminology isassociated. In general, the terms used in the following claims shouldnot be construed to limit the technology to the specific examplesdisclosed in the specification, unless the above Detailed Descriptionsection explicitly defines such terms. Accordingly, the actual scope ofthe technology encompasses not only the disclosed examples, but also allequivalent ways of practicing or implementing the technology under theclaims.

To reduce the number of claims, certain aspects of the technology arepresented below in certain claim forms, but the applicant contemplatesthe various aspects of the technology in any number of claim forms. Forexample, while only one aspect of the technology is recited as acomputer-readable medium claim, other aspects may likewise be embodiedas a computer-readable medium claim, or in other forms, such as beingembodied in a means-plus-function claim. Any claims intended to betreated under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f) will begin with the words “means for”,but use of the term “for” in any other context is not intended to invoketreatment under 35 U.S.C. § 112(f). Accordingly, the applicant reservesthe right to pursue additional claims after filing this application topursue such additional claim forms, in either this application or in acontinuing application.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system, comprising: at least one hardwareprocessor; and at least one hardware memory, coupled to the at least onehardware processor, wherein the memory stores software modulesconfigured to be executed by the at least one processor, including: afirst measuring module that measures a number of users connected to along-term evolution (LTE) telecommunications network via a cell sitewithin the LTE network, wherein the cell site is associated with aspecific spectrum frequency; a second measuring module that measures aspectral efficiency of the cell site; and a predicting module thatpredicts the cell site will be congested when the number of usersconnected to the telecommunications LTE network via the cell site isabove a threshold number of connected users that is associated withcongestion of the cell site, and when the measured spectral efficiencyof the cell site indicates an increase in data traffic via the cellsite.
 2. The system of claim 1, further comprising: an action modulethat performs an action associated with modifying operations of the cellsite in response to the predicting module determining the cell site iscongested.
 3. The system of claim 1, further comprising: a spectrumutilization module that measures a spectrum utilization percentage forphysical resource blocks associated with one or more cell sectors of thecell site.
 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the cell site is determinedto be congested when the spectrum utilization percentage for thephysical resource blocks associated with the one or more cell sectors ofthe cell site and the number of users connected to thetelecommunications network via the one or more cell sectors of the cellsite indicate that an increase in data transmission via the one or morecell sectors of the cell site will result in a reduced throughput ofdata via the one or more cell sectors of the cell site.
 5. The system ofclaim 3, wherein the cell site is determined to be congested when thespectrum utilization percentage for the physical resource blocksassociated with the one or more cell sectors of the cell site and thenumber of users connected to the telecommunications network via the oneor more cell sectors of the cell site indicate that average userthroughput at the one or more cell sectors of the cell site is less than2 Mbps.
 6. The system of claim 3, wherein a threshold percentage ofspectrum utilization is based on a predetermined throughput value to bemaintained at the one or more cell sectors of the cell site.
 7. Thesystem of claim 3, wherein a spectrum frequency of the cell site isnormalized to 5 MHz; and wherein the predicting module determines thecell site is congested when the spectrum utilization percentage for thephysical resource blocks associated with the one or more cell sectors ofthe cell site is above 70% spectrum utilization, and when the number ofusers connected to the telecommunications network via the cell site isabove 65 total users.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the thresholdnumber of connected users is based on a predetermined throughput valueto be maintained at the cell site.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein thepredicting module determines one or more cell sectors of the cell siteis congested without performing a data transmission via the cell site todirectly measure throughput of the cell site.
 10. A non-transitorycomputer-readable storage medium whose contents, when executed by acomputing system, cause the computing system to perform a method, themethod comprising: measuring a number of users connected to a long-termevolution (LTE) telecommunications network via a cell site within theLTE network; measuring a spectral efficiency of the cell site; andpredicting the cell site will be congested when the number of usersconnected to the telecommunications LTE network via the cell site isabove a threshold number of connected users that is associated withcongestion of the cell site, and when the measured spectral efficiencyof the cell site indicates an increase in data traffic via the cellsite.
 11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10,wherein the spectrum frequency of the cell site is 5 MHz, and whereinthe cell site is predicted to be congested when the number of usersconnected to the telecommunications LTE network via one or more cellsectors of the cell site is above 65 total users, and when the spectralefficiency of the cell site is above 1.5 bps/Hz.
 12. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the threshold number ofconnected users is based on maintaining a predetermined average userthroughput value at the cell site.
 13. The non-transitorycomputer-readable medium of claim 10, further comprising: performs anaction associated with modifying operations of the cell site or thetelecommunications network in response to determining the cell site iscongested.
 14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10,wherein the cell site is determined to be congested when spectrumutilization percentage for physical resource blocks associated with thecell site and the number of users connected to the telecommunicationsnetwork via the cell site indicate that an increase in data transmissionvia the cell site will result in a reduced throughput of data via thecell site.
 15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10,wherein the cell site is associated with a specific spectrum frequency,and wherein the threshold number of connected users associated withcongestion of the cell site is based on the specific spectrum frequency.16. A computer-implementable method for use withing a telecommunicationsnetwork, the method comprising: measuring a number of users connected toa long-term evolution (LTE) telecommunications network via a cell sitewithin the LTE network; measuring a spectral efficiency of the cellsite; and predicting the cell site will be congested when the number ofusers connected to the telecommunications LTE network via the cell siteis above a threshold number of connected users that is associated withcongestion of the cell site, and when the measured spectral efficiencyof the cell site indicates an increase in data traffic via the cellsite.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the spectrum frequency of thecell site is 5 MHz, and wherein the cell site is predicted to becongested when the number of users connected to the telecommunicationsLTE network via one or more cell sectors of the cell site is above 65total users, and when the spectral efficiency of the cell site is above1.5 bps/Hz.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein the threshold number ofconnected users is based on maintaining a predetermined average userthroughput value at the cell site.
 19. The method of claim 16, furthercomprising: performs an action associated with modifying operations ofthe cell site or the telecommunications network in response todetermining the cell site is congested.
 20. The method of claim 16,wherein the cell site is associated with a specific spectrum frequency,and wherein the threshold number of connected users associated withcongestion of the cell site is based on the specific spectrum frequency.